Driver Paul 'taunted photographers'

Mr Paul looked like he wanted to be "centre stage", the first witness from the paparazzi group to give evidence said.

Stephane Darmon also described Mr Paul as having the telltales signs of being an alcoholic.

Speaking via video link from Paris, Mr Darmon told how Mr Paul spoke to photographers outside the front of the hotel, where they had gathered to try to take pictures of the Princess and Dodi Fayed.

"He was playing a game with the photographers," Mr Darmon said. "He was saying Lady Di is going to be there in about a quarter of an hour etc. I think that he wanted to give wrong leads to photographers."

Describing Mr Paul's manner when he approached the paparazzi, Mr Darmon said: "He seemed to be very joyful. On a very personal note, I've got to say, my father was an alcoholic. When I saw Mr Paul, he reminded me of my father, his eyes, the way he acted, that's what I thought."

The jury have already seen CCTV footage from the Ritz, which shows Mr Paul leaving the hotel and walking over to waiting photographers.

Mr Darmon was asked by Ian Burnett, counsel to the inquest, if Mr Paul had said anything else. Mr Darmon replied: "He did not talk to me directly. He talked to other photographers who were there. He knew some of them. I had this impression because of the way he talked to them."

He added that Mr Paul had said "one versus zero", meaning he had scored a point, which was moving the cars around the square.

Mr Darmon told the jury there was "panic" when the paparazzi realised the Princess and Dodi had left from the back of the hotel.